Been reading everyone elses threads on here and thought I might as well start my own with the last few years progress on my old Seb!
It was a bit of a grubby old thing when I got it and it's been nothing but problematic since then.
It had already been converted to a Sebring with a 3.5 rover V8 lump when I got it so it was originally just going to be an easy tidy up, MOT, back on the road and V8 burbling fun but that never seemed to happen!!
Approx 4 years, lots of rust removal, bloody knuckles and an engine fire later it's getting closer to being put back on the road.
few pics here of how I found it and I'll follow with some of the progress I made with it.
WOW - that looks like win. Your story sounds painful, but the best cars usually are not the easy cars.
What is it like to drive? I always fancied doing one of these......
When I get to drive it I'll let you know!!!
Got to a point where it was nearly ready for its MOT and had a rather major engine fire meaning it had to be replaced. But stuck a 3.9 Efi in now so that should be good!!!
1970 MGB GT 3.9 V8 efi Sebring
2007 Audi A3 Sport (Diesel)
It was sat round the back of my future father in laws MG garage for around 5 years before I started on it.
The weather had taken its toll on the metalwork and it needed a new boot floor and a repair to the rear chassis leg as well as both outer sills, passenger rear quarter panel, bottom of the driver side 'A' post and small repair sections to the footwells and spring hangers. Basically anything that wasn't fiberglass was trying to dissolve.
1970 MGB GT 3.9 V8 efi Sebring
2007 Audi A3 Sport (Diesel)
Sweeet! I'll bookmark this for sure Interesting to see an earlier B with a V8 in it, has it been cut around much to make it fit? Do you have any pics of how the rear arches have been fitted? I'm considering going sebring arched on my B
Cool thread, bookmarked! I usually prefer non-Sebring BGTs but the rugged look works really well imo. Well done on the work already achieved, and good luck for what's left to do!
Sweeet! I'll bookmark this for sure Interesting to see an earlier B with a V8 in it, has it been cut around much to make it fit? Do you have any pics of how the rear arches have been fitted? I'm considering going sebring arched on my B
Good luck for getting it back on the road
Yeah the previous owner cut some of the bulk head back on both sides to allow room but it's still pretty tight. Think it's got the rubber bumper front cross member on too which gives it a bit more room to sit lower! Rear arches have been bonded onto the original wings and then the inner arch has been fibreglassed.
I'm following your thread and the arch discussion on there. The kits aren't perfect but if you've got time to fettle with them you can get them to look good. Mine need quite a bit more work. Yours is looking really nice btw! Those wheels are awesome! I started polishing the lip on mine but lost patience and motivation. Need to get back on with them!
1970 MGB GT 3.9 V8 efi Sebring
2007 Audi A3 Sport (Diesel)
This is the one at Paul depper MG's isn't it? Spoke to Paul about it a while ago, if I remember right you want it finishing for your wedding?
Progress is looking good mate, how you got on with wiring up the efi?
Yep that's the one! I am unfortunately trying to finish it to sell it to pay for our wedding next October but the other half has said I have got to get another after to do for me!
The wiring is my biggest delay at the min. I know how to wire the efi ecu up, but the wiring in the car is a mess and needs a knowledgable person to look at it first. Gonna see if I can get an auto electrician to have a go at it this week. Engine and everything is all in and ready to rumble really. Got loads more progress pics to upload!
1970 MGB GT 3.9 V8 efi Sebring
2007 Audi A3 Sport (Diesel)
Ah fair enough, I suppose the different cross member would help quite a bit
Yeah I'm just looking into the different ways to do it at the moment, I think I'll defintely get a body shop to do the rears but might have a crack at the fronts myself.. depends how brave I'm feeling haha Thanks! Sadly I've rather neglected the wheels and not kept on top of polishing the lips :/ Once I've done the wheels for my Jag I'll hopefully go round and polish them up again, think I'll definitely go with lacqering the lips this time round though!
It does take a while, took me around half a year to get round to finishing the MG wheels cos I kept losing interest and motivation, the Jag wheels are gonna be done a lot quicker, partly cos they take up so much more space! haha
Bit more of an update of work done and how it got to where its at now.
I got all the ills and everything to line up as best I could.
Once all the body was structurally sound and straight I started to get all the bits replaced that were old and seized and look into the lights, horn, wipers etc that would be needed for the MOT.
These included new/refurbed brake callipers
Along with braided brake lines
Then got lights working
And also had to replace the windscreen as there were a few large chips in the old one and it had started to delaminate.
My god that was a nightmare to fit, and I've still got to take it back out for paint and refit it with its chrome trim too!!!
I also removed, wire brushed and painted the anti tramp bars that were fitted. It's got adjustable shocks on the rear but they're looking quite old and crusty now so a new pair of those will be fitted soon.
I got all this done and it was starting to really come toegther and ready to go down the road for an MOT
But then . . .
a rather badly setup Holley carb (my fault!) decided to totally overfuel the engine causing the engine oil to dilute with petrol! This then filled up the cylinders and made the car not start! To try and clear the flooded engine the spark plugs were removed and the engine turned over, but unfortunately the lovely oily petrol mixture found its way onto a spark and the engine bay went up like bonfire night!!! Plenty of powdery fire extinguisher later and the 3.5 had had it, along with some minor wiring!!!
BOOO!!!
1970 MGB GT 3.9 V8 efi Sebring
2007 Audi A3 Sport (Diesel)
I set fire to an engine once - my own fault, took the fuel pipe off the carb, cranked the engine - the fuel pump proved it was not the cause of a hot starting problem when it pumped fuel out of the unattached fuel line over the top of the rocker box and onto the hot exhaust manifold. Flashpoint of the petrol was lower than the temperature of the exhaust manifold. It was a forward hinging bonnet, so I saw it all happen....
It was a major set back but at least it gave me the excuse to upgrade!!! Got on that well know auction site and got myself a complete 3.9 efi out of a range rover classic. It was still in the running car so the guy included the ecu, Hotwire mad, wiring loom and a few other bits that weren't needed so I sold those bits on. All for £350!! Considerably cheaper than sorting my engine and carbs out.
I've cleaned it all up, swapped all the parts from my old engine over and gave it a good service and going over. Oil came out pretty clean and no scaries to be found!!! Gave it a coat of hi heat gloss black engine enamel.
Got the gearbox sent out to be reconditioned too as the main bearing had some play in it!!
Pics to follow in a min when I find them!!
1970 MGB GT 3.9 V8 efi Sebring
2007 Audi A3 Sport (Diesel)
Interesting to see an earlier B with a V8 in it, has it been cut around much to make it fit? Do you have any pics of how the rear arches have been fitted? I'm considering going sebring arched on my B 
